Wall Drug in the morning and a taste of Badlands in the afternoon. Also, we hate Garmin

Started the day early with a sketchy breakfast at Thunderbird. Don’t recommend. We were on the road by 8:30 and at good ol’ Wall Drug (after time shift) at 10:15. Food was eaten and a few touristic ventures were pursued. Also, Alex and George got soaked in the fountains in the back yard, Recreating a day long ago, during a different Wall Drug visit, George ran up to me and exclaimed, “This is the best day of my life!”, as he had done when he was 5 years old after getting soaked in the same fountains. Wall Drug accomplished, we headed to the always lovely (and frequently visited by our crew) Badlands National Park. It was hot, so we didn’t to too much climbing about. Photos happened as well as a top to stamp our NP Passport books at the ranger station. 

The back half of our day wasn’t the greatest. I expertly (okay, we stopped, like, 8 times to get redirected) guided us through southern South Dakota and into Nebraska. Alex drove for a spell, which was pretty fun. Then, I allowed our Garmin to help with navigation, Contrary to my better judgment, I trusted Garmin to take us the least complicated route to Jen’s house (sister, for those who are not in the know). Instead, we went on an 4+ hour trip through the back lanes of middle America, which wouldn’t normally be a bad deal, but we were tired and the roads were slow going. I decided to break up with Garmin when she lead us to a dirt road, at the end of which there was a semi-paved road. Her verbal directions told us to go right and the visual contradicted with a firm left. Phones to the rescue, we made it safely to our destination in Ault, CO.

Jen and Eliza (niece o mine) greeted us with a spaghetti dinner and a fashion show of their cos play for Comicon next weekend. And, we bedded down in their basement for the evening. Weird day in many ways. Long day in every way. So glad to be with family.